“Senior Scottish ministers have held private meetings with the fracking firm Ineos and Grangemouth executives from China five times in 13 months, The Ferret can reveal.

Briefings released by the Scottish Government under freedom of information law show that in 2016 the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon met Ineos boss Jim Ratcliffe and Chinese businessmen who are involved in helping to run the Grangemouth refinery.

Petrochemical Expansion in Europe Means More Fracking in the United States

Ineos plans to build new plant to handle more fracked gas shipped across the Atlantic

Brussels: – 14 June, 2017 — The Financial Times reports that European energy giant INEOS announced plans to build a new petrochemical plant that uses fracked gas from the United States as a feedstock for producing propylene, a raw material used in making plastics. The company relies on its new fleet of “dragon ships” to act as a virtual pipeline, shipping gas liquids across the Atlantic Ocean.

The fracking ban bill was discussed in the Irish Seanad (read transcription below)
Cross-party support guaranteed and the need for a ban in Northern Ireland was raised.

David Norris raised questions regarding the wording

:” There are a number of aspects of the Bill that are difficult.

The definition of “hydraulic fracturing” is narrow and weak. It allows for the possibility of the fracking industry developing new techniques that are not covered by this legislation.

The definition of “internal waters” is inadequate. It does not cover service water or groundwater. There is a proposed sanction of a six month prison sentence for offenders, but where is the policing mechanism? There is no policing mechanism at all, which is also worrying.

There is an absence of a definition of “land”. There is a very comprehensive definition of land in the EU habitats directive. Why could this not have been put into the legislation? Internal waters are listed but it does not specify groundwater at all. This is also worrying. Many people have lobbied me on this matter and they have raised these concerns. It is important we get the ban on fracking because without it, these operations will continue in places such as Leitrim, Roscommon, Sligo, Clare and other parts of Ireland. We must be very careful.

Climate change was mentioned.”

Sinn Féin Senator clearly for expansion of ban on offshore fracking at a later stage:

Green Party Senator raised climate change problem, asked for a clear Irish path towards 100% Clean Energy Ireland and said that a LNG terminal at Shannon – which aims at importing US fracked hydrocarbons – cannot be supported.

We now look forward to the next steps in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Next Tuesday the Committee Stage in the Seanad will follow.